#2run--Pass The Baton--Run

#2.... PASS THE BATON: RUN, RUN, RUN...

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I do this two part lesson in a 4 part lesson...

I bought a RUNNING BATON at a local sport’s store. The metal one was $8.95, the plastic was $2.50. One could make a baton out of a wood dow.

We start with a demonstration of relay races. Pass the baton...

The runner has to already be running at a full pace at the passing of the baton...

Several years ago the USA RUNNING TEAM was composed of 4 world record

holders. There was no way they could loose the race. The baton was passed and the runner was ahead, a SLIPSHOD BATON PASS?...

The baton fell to the track?

The runner had to turn around and go back and pick up the baton. The world record holders lost miserably to some no bodies? WHY?

The race was more than running, the race was PASSING THE BATON...

Review then go to # IX...

I. GOD’S PLAN IS THAT WE RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY...

WE NEED TO RUN TOWARD GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE!

Isaiah 40: [28] Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the

Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no

searching of his understanding.

[29] He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

[30] Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

[31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up

with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

FLY...

RUN ... and not be weaary

WALK... not faint...

IX. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE MAN OF GOD IN TRAINING RUNS TOWARD WHAT HE

THINKS HE DESERVES. GEHAZI THINKS I HAVE EARNED MORE THAN I HAVE

RECEIVED?

A. Have you ever felt like you deserved more for all YOUR RUNNING... ?

B. Have you ever observed that it appears some people GET AWAY WITHOUT PAYING A FAIR PRICE?

C. There are three characters in this RUNNING LESSON... GEHAZI the star; NAAMAN- the GETTER; ELISHA --- THE GIVER...

2 Kings 5:20-27 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

[21] So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?

D. GREED CAN NEVER BE SATISFIED... GIVE ME... GIVE ME...

[22] And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

E. SIN ALWAYS EXTRACTS MORE THAN YOU PLANNED...

A SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE???

[23] And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they

bare them before him.

[24] And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

F. NEVER FORGET WHEN YOU ARE DONE RUNNING THAT YOU WILL STAND BEFORE THE

MASTER... GIVE AN ACCOUNT... DO WE HOLD THE FLESH ACCOUNTABLE?

[25] But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. [26] And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?

[27] The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

G. WATCH YOUR FEET, WATCH YOUR FEET WHERE THEY RUN...

X. IF WE RUN WITH THE FOOTMEN AND WE GROW WEARY ...

WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN THE TERRIBLE STORMS COME?

A. FOOTMEN ARE COMMON SOLLDERS...

Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

B. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHEN THE HORSES COME?